Microsoft Teases Project Helix Development Kits at GDC 2026 With Black and White Photos

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Microsoft recently confirmed they’re working on the next Xbox, codenamed Project Helix, and have now shared a sneak peek at the console’s development kit on social media. These images were released to highlight Microsoft’s participation in GDC 2026 and can be viewed below.

Two of the three images shared closely resemble development kits used for older Xbox consoles, specifically the Xbox One and Xbox One X. The third image is less clear, showing only a partial view of what seems to be the letters “XDK” combined with some shapes. Unfortunately, the photos are all in black and white, so we can’t tell what color the hardware is.

It’s not surprising that Microsoft is showcasing its latest development kits at this year’s GDC, as the new head of Microsoft Gaming, Asha Sharma, recently announced the company would be meeting with developers and studios there.

Last week, I had a great meeting with the Xbox team where we discussed our plans for the future of Xbox, including our next-generation console, codenamed ‘Project Helix.’ Project Helix is designed to deliver top-tier performance and will allow you to play games from both your Xbox and PC. I’m excited to share more details with our partners and studios at GDC next week!

Although official details are still under wraps, sources suggest Microsoft’s Project Helix will use an AMD Magnus APU. Recent reports claim it will have 30% more processing power than the Xbox Series X, and the new RDNA 5 architecture should significantly improve performance. Each processing unit is expected to be about 65% more powerful than those in the Xbox Series X, and Microsoft is reportedly aiming for frame rates exceeding 120 FPS.

Microsoft has openly stated its next console will be high-end, and based on the estimated cost of its parts, it’s likely to be priced between $999 and $1,200. They could potentially lower the price to around $900 if they want to be more competitive.

A new report compares the chip used in Project Helix to the one expected in Sony’s next PlayStation, the PS6, which is currently referred to as AMD Orion. The report indicates that Project Helix’s Magnus APU will be significantly larger, measuring 408 square millimeters. This is due to its combined size of 144 square millimeters for the system-on-a-chip and 264 square millimeters for the graphics processing unit. The PS6’s Orion chip, however, is predicted to be around 280 square millimeters in size.

Microsoft’s recent displays of new hardware suggest they may be preparing to announce their next console in the near future. Previously, it was thought that global memory shortages would delay the console’s release until after 2027.

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2026-03-11 17:11